Qantas Offloads Stake in Australian Travel Agency Helloworld for $22 Million

Australia’s Qantas Airways said its long-serving CEO would bring forward his retirement amid a publicity firestorm over an accusation of illegal ticket sales, signaling what the flagship carrier hopes is the end of a tumultuous period.

Do you remember the last time an experience gave you goosebumps? In the realm of luxury travel, an international agency is setting unprecedented standards, making fairytales seem tangible. Meet GR8 Experience, the maestros behind some of the world's most enigmatic, ultra-luxury experiences.

Adventure travel specialist G Adventures has made a “significant financial investment” in Reforest, a digital platform that connects travelers with local communities that are restoring their ecosystems using reforestation.

Johannesburg-based Club Travel Corporate is entering a critical next phase after securing the backing of a unique investment fund that will put new emphasis on working with female-owned businesses on the continent.

Flight Centre, the Australian-based travel agency well known for its mass-market brands, is firmly fixed on tapping into the rising demand for luxury experiences with an expected 15 percent growth in revenue for the segment.

Sustainable travel has developed a sense of urgency post-pandemic. However, while carbon emissions, environmental degradation, and cultural sensitivity are picked apart at length, animal exploitation through the sale of captive wildlife entertainment has received less pushback.

Australia’s Flight Centre Travel Group is buying UK-based tour operator Scott Dunn for $148 million (A$211 million), in a bid to expand into the U.S., as well as the UK.

U.S.-based meeting, event and office provider Convene has bought etc.venues, which now expands its footprint in the UK.

Exoticca, a Barcelona-based online travel agency focused on affordable luxury tours and vacation packages, launched its first-ever brand campaign this year. The campaign, titled What a Time to be Alive, debuted in early January with TV spots in Canada and the United Kingdom and digital ads in the United States, Mexico and Spain.

Abel Zhao, co-founder & CEO of FreeD Group, a technology innovator that specializes in proprietary enterprise application solutions, has acquired 75-year-old Connexus Travel from the parent company of Cathay Pacific, Swire Group. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

U.S. telecoms conglomerate Verizon is ramping up efforts to gain a foothold in the meetings and events sector.

Corporate Travel Management is investing in building back up its teams to prepare for the global travel recovery.